At a Glance
- Nikki Glaser once babysat for Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann at $35-$40 an hour in 2007
- A surprise phone call from Adam Sandler became her favorite memory of the job
- She later asked Apatow for an audition in Funny People and is now co-writing a movie with him
- Why it matters: Glaser’s story shows how a side hustle can evolve into a Hollywood collaboration
Nikki Glaser’s résumé keeps growing. The 41-year-old comedian told Howard Stern that long before hosting awards shows and headlining specials, she worked as a babysitter for director Judd Apatow, 58, and actress Leslie Mann, 53, around the time the couple was developing Funny People.
The $40-an-hour gig
During a January 13, 2026, visit to SiriusXM Studios, Glaser told Stern the job paid $35-$40 an hour-“more than I’d ever been paid to babysit.” The work came in 2007 while Apatow and Mann were crafting the 2009 film. Glager watched their daughters, Maude, now 28, and Iris, now 23.
- Rate: $35-$40 per hour in 2007
- Duration: Sporadic evenings during Funny People development
- Perk: “His kids were so sweet. They were so funny,” Glaser said
The Adam Sandler call
One night while the parents were out, the household phone rang. Glaser answered and found Adam Sandler, 59, on the line.
> “I told him I was the babysitter and he asked me about how my night was going,” she recalled. “It was my first interaction with Adam Sandler, and I have loved him ever since. That was the nicest call I’ve ever gotten when I was babysitting.”
The audition ask
Glaser eventually realized the job could open another door. While still babysitting, she learned Apatow was casting Funny People and that one role-a “struggling 25-year-old comedian in L.A. who loves Wilco”-mirrored her own life.
> “That is literally who I am so I did end up asking [Apatow] for an audition,” she said. “I was really embarrassed to do it… My friend said, ‘You didn’t move to L.A. to be the greatest babysitter,’ so I just said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’ And he gave me an audition and it was really nice.”
The part ultimately went to Aubrey Plaza, but the request forged a connection.
From sitter to screenwriter
Fast-forward to today: Glaser and Apatow are co-writing a feature film inspired by her life. She told Stern they developed the concept during a casual brainstorming session.
> “I started opening up about things I was struggling with, and where I am in my life and not having kids and not having a family and pursuing a career,” she said. “He got something out of me that we thought, ‘Okay, this could be a really fun idea for a movie.'”
Glaser promises the finished product will be both “funny” and emotionally grounded. “Like all of his films, there’s going to be heart and there’s going to be real emotions… from a real place,” she said.
Key takeaways
- A side hustle at $40 an hour led to an industry relationship that still pays dividends
- A single bold ask-an audition-helped Glaser pivot from sitter to potential leading lady
- Her current collaboration with Apatow shows how early connections can evolve into major creative partnerships
